New Testament

Verse by Verse

Verse by Verse

• Through the New Testament at about one chapter per week.

• This will take roughly five years.

Verse by Verse

Four Gospels

• Not exact duplicates.

• Not altogether different either.

• Four overlapping and interlocking perspectives.

• Each author highlights different details on the life of Christ.

Matthew

Verse by Verse

Verse by Verse Matthew

• First of four Gospels.

• Most emphasis on the Old Testament of the four.

• Most Jewish of the four in outlook.

Verse by Verse Matthew

• Started with Christ’s genealogy.

• Uses Jewish terms like Son of David.

• Kingdom of Heaven rather than Kingdom of God.

• Smoothest transition from Old Testament to New.

Matthew 2

Verse by Verse

Matthew 2 Outline

Matthew 2 Outline

1. Wise Men from Persia 2:1-12

2. Escape to Egypt 2:13-15

3. Herod’s Murders 2:16-18

4. Return from Egypt 2:19-23

1. Wise Men from Persia 2:1-12

1. Wise Men from Persia 2:1-12

• 2:1 The “wise men” or “magi” were part of a priestly caste in Persia who practiced astrology/astronomy.

• We might call them magicians or sorcerers.

• Astrology was forbidden to the Jews (Deu 4:19, Isa 47:13-15), but it led them to the king of the Jews – Jesus.

• This gives us our first Takeaway.

1. Wise Men from Persia 2:1-12

Takeaway #1

• It is not so important how someone gets to Jesus but it is important that they get to Jesus.

• There are many fine people who follow different religions.

• All of us, however, need a Savior, because we separated from a holy God – and that separation is our own fault.

• Jesus is that Savior.

A Risky Viewpoint

In a sense, hybrid religiosity—wanting to be 100 percent Muslim and 100 percent Christian or mixing the two in some other proportion—is a good problem to have. If there is an error in the attempt, it is born of attraction to the beauty of the other faith … of love for those who practice it.

– Miroslav Volf, Yale Center for Faith and Culture

A More Fully Biblical Viewpoint

As a Muslim, I wanted to base my beliefs not on blind faith, not on what appealed to me, and not even on my family’s heritage. I wanted to ground my faith in reality. If I wanted to take the records of history seriously, I had to abandon my Islamic faith and accept the gospel.

– Nabeel Qureshi (1983 – 2017) American Christian author and apologist

1. Wise Men from Persia 2:1-12

Takeaway #1 – once again

• It is not so important how someone gets to Jesus but it is important that they get to Jesus.

• Religions mainly differ at their core, which is where the gospel of Christ makes our faith unique.

1. Wise Men from Persia 2:1-12

• 2:2 We … have come to worship him.

• This is the key.

• 2:2-5 Herod inquired of the chief priests and scribes.

• They knew where to find the Messiah if in fact he had truly been born.

• 2:6 The citation is from Micah 5:2.

1. Wise Men from Persia 2:1-12

• 2:8 Herod claimed to want to worship Jesus Christ.

• He was not being honest.

• 2:11 The wise men did as they said. They really sought out Jesus to worship him.

• 2:12 God and the wise men in the end outsmarted Herod.

1. Wise Men from Persia 2:1-12

Takeaway #2

• Jesus has always had both true worshipers and false ones.

• It should not surprise us that he still has both kinds today.

Who is worthy of worship?

Who is worthy of worship?

• Acts 10:24-26 (ESV)24 And on the following day they entered Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends.25 When Peter entered, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him. 26 But Peter lifted him up, saying, “Stand up; I too am a man.”

Who is worthy of worship?

• Acts 14:11-15 (ESV)11 And when the crowds saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in Lycaonian, “The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!” 12 Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the chief speaker. 13 And the priest of Zeus, whose temple was at the entrance to the city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates and wanted to offer sacrifice with the crowds …

Who is worthy of worship?

• Acts 14:11-15 (ESV)14 But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their garments and rushed out into the crowd, crying out, 15 “Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men, of like nature with you, and we bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them.”

Who is worthy of worship?

• Revelation 19:9-10 (ESV)9 And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.” 10 Then I fell down at his feet to worship him, but he said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God.” For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.

Who is worthy of worship?

• Revelation 22:8-9 (ESV)8 I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed them to me, 9 but he said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers the prophets, and with those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.”

Who is worthy of worship?

Takeaway #3

• Only God is worthy of our worship.

• Jesus is worthy of our worship.

• Jesus is God.

2. Escape to Egypt 2:13-15

2. Escape to Egypt 2:13-15

• 2:13-15 Jesus was once a political refugee in Egypt.

• In going to Egypt and returning, he repeated the pattern of the people of Israel.

• The quotation in 2:15 is from Hosea 11:1 and there it refers to Israel.

• It is not a straightforward messianic prophecy.

3. Herod’s Murders 2:16-18

3. Herod’s Murders 2:16-18

• God intervened in a special way to spare the life of Jesus.

• He did not intervene to spare the other little boys.

• Instead, God allowed Herod’s power-hungry rage to run freely through Bethlehem.

• God did not intervene so that Jesus might escape the cross.

3. Herod’s Murders 2:16-18

• 2:18 The next citation is from Jeremiah 31:15.

• In that chapter, Jeremiah uses this verse as a starting point for a prophecy of blessing that ends with the New Covenant.

• See Jeremiah 31:31-34.

3. Herod’s Murders 2:16-18

• 2:18 Jesus introduced the New Covenant at the Last Supper, pointing ahead to his shed blood.

• Luke 22:19-20 (ESV)19 And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 20 And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.”

3. Herod’s Murders 2:16-18

Takeaway #4

• God is grieved by evil, but he still often allows it.

• It is not always possible to know why at the time.

• What we do know is that someday he will bring comfort.

• He has a way of bringing good out of evil that is often beyond our understanding.

3. Herod’s Murders 2:16-18

• 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (ESV)16 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. 17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18 as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

4. Return from Egypt 2:19-23

4. Return from Egypt 2:19-23

• 2:19-22 When Herod died … Archelaus was reigning

• When Herod the Great died his kingdom was divided into four parts – each ruled by a tetrarch.

• His oldest son Archelaus was just as cruel as his father.

• His son Antipas was more reasonable and he reigned in Galilee, where Nazareth was located.

4. Return from Egypt 2:19-23

• 2:23 Joseph then took his family back to Nazareth, far from the Jewish mainstream religious area of Jerusalem.

• This is where he and Mary were from originally.

• Matthew leaves out this detail. Luke 1 – 2 records it.

• He would be called a Nazarene The best explanation for this may that the to be a Nazarene was a derogatory term.

Matthew 2 Takeaways

Matthew 2 Takeaways

1. It is not so important how someone gets to Jesus, but it is important that they get to Jesus.

Matthew 2 Takeaways

1. It is not so important how someone gets to Jesus, but it is important that they get to Jesus.

2. Jesus has always had both true worshipers and false ones. It should not surprise us that he still has both kinds today.

Matthew 2 Takeaways

1. It is not so important how someone gets to Jesus, but it is important that they get to Jesus.

2. Jesus has always had both true worshipers and false ones. It should not surprise us that he still has both kinds today.

3. Only God is worthy of our worship. Jesus is worthy of our worship. Jesus is God.

Matthew 2 Takeaways

1. It is not so important how someone gets to Jesus, but it is important that they get to Jesus.

2. Jesus has always had both true worshipers and false ones. It should not surprise us that he still has both kinds today.

3. Only God is worthy of our worship. Jesus is worthy of our worship. Jesus is God.

4. God is grieved by evil, but he still often allows it. Someday he will make everything right.